Devotionals

Spurgeon's Daily Devotionals - Evening Edition

March 24

"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit." - Luke
10:21

The Saviour was "a man of sorrows," but every
thoughtful mind has discovered the fact that down deep in his innermost soul he
carried an inexhaustible treasury of refined and heavenly joy. Of all the human
race, there was never a man who had a deeper, purer, or more abiding peace than
our Lord Jesus Christ. "He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his
fellows." His vast benevolence must, from the very nature of things, have
afforded him the deepest possible delight, for benevolence is joy. There were a
few remarkable seasons when this joy manifested itself. "At that hour Jesus
rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth."
Christ had his songs, though it was night with him; though his face was marred,
and his countenance had lost the lustre of earthly happiness, yet sometimes it
was lit up with a matchless splendour of unparalleled satisfaction, as he
thought upon the recompense of the reward, and in the midst of the congregation
sang his praise unto God. In this, the Lord Jesus is a blessed picture of his
church on earth. At this hour the church expects to walk in sympathy with her
Lord along a thorny road; through much tribulation she is forcing her way to the
crown. To bear the cross is her office, and to be scorned and counted an alien
by her mother's children is her lot; and yet the church has a deep well of joy,
of which none can drink but her own children. There are stores of wine, and oil,
and corn, hidden in the midst of our Jerusalem, upon which the saints of God are
evermore sustained and nurtured; and sometimes, as in our Saviour's case, we
have our seasons of intense delight, for "There is a river, the streams whereof
shall make glad the city of our God. " Exiles though we be, we rejoice in our
King; yea, in him we exceedingly rejoice, while in his name we set up our
banners.